Runner checker apparatus for warp knitting machines

ABSTRACT

A RUNNER CHECKER FOR MEASURING AND INDICATING THE LENGTH OF YARN BEING FED FROM THE WARP BEAM SECTION OF A WARP KNITTING MACHINE, INCLUDING A PULSE GENERATOR MOUNTED ON EACH TENSION LET-OFF CONTROLLER ASSEMBLY OF A WARP BEAM SECTION TO PRODUCE PULSES RELATED TO UNIT LENGTHS OF WARP YARN FEED, A DEVICE CONNECTED TO THE PATTERN WHEEL DRIVE SHAFT OF THE KNITTING MACHINE FOR PRODUCING PULSES RELATED TO PATTERN WHEEL ROTATION, AND ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY RESPONDING TO THE PULSES TO INDICATE THE YARN RUNNER LENGTH IN A RACK OF CLOTH.

Dec. 14, 1971 R. B. FERTIG ETAL 3,626,725

RUNNER CHECKER APPARATUS FOR wARP KNITTING MACHINES Fled'Oct. 15, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet r.

DD'Z DB3 DB4 l A* iWAA-og-Bngs FER-HG SMUEL EUGENE MrrcHeLL.

i-- mgm Aim@ ATTORNEYS Dec. 14, 1971 R B, FER-HG ETAL RUNNER CHECKER APPARATUS FOR WARP KNITTING MACHINES 5 Shoots-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. l5, 1970 I NVENTORS e. .v a

Q Imag QAYMoNo Bnmes Femm-. 1 AMUEL. EUGENE Mrrcueu.

ATTORNEYS Dec. 14, 1971 R, B, FERT|G ETAL 3,626,725

RUNNER CHECKER APPARATUS FOR WARP KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. l5. 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS Envmono BmNEs Fem- 1 SAMUEL. EUGENE Ml-rcueu.

BY masc-w.

ATTORNEYS Dec. 14, 1971 R. B. FERTIG ErAL 3,626,725

RUNNER CHECKER APPARATUS FOR WARP KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. l5, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 2C lag-6 CL INVENTORS PAYMoNnBAmes Fen-rua SAMUEL Eocene Mvrc Heu.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,626,725 RUNNER CHECKER APPARATUS FOR WARP KNITTING MACHINES Raymond Baines Fertig, Rouceverte, and Samuel Eugene Mitchell, Lewisburg, W. Va., assignors to Appalachian Electronic Instruments, Inc., Rouceverte, W. Va.

Filed Oct. 15, 1970, Ser. No. 80,944 Int. Cl. D04b 27/00 U.S. Cl. 66-86 24 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A runner checker for measuring and indicating the length of yarn being fed from the warp beam section of a warp knitting machine, including a pulse generator mounted on each tension let-oit controller assembly of a warp beam section to produce pulses related to unit lengths of warp yarn feed, a device connected to the pattern wheel drive shaft of the knitting machine for producing pulses related to pattern wheel rotation, and electronic circuitry responding to the pulses to indicate the yarn runner length in a rack of cloth.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to runner checker means for measuring and indicating the length of warp yarn in inches feeding from each warp beam section of a wrap knitting machine to produce one rack of warp knit fabric.

Knitting machines have one or several warp beam sections, each warp beam section of which can be defined as -a row of cylindrical metal spools on which warp yarns are wound. The warp yarns are drawn from the beams to guide bars and then to the needle bars where the fabric is knitted. The knitted fabric, which is typically 168 inches in width, then feeds from the needle bars to the take up roll or rolls where the knitted fabric is accumulated in roll form. Warp Iknitting machines usually have two to four warp beam sections. The yarn from each warp beam section has a tension let-off control that governs the tension or feed rate of warp yarn passing over the guide bar to the needle bar. The mill operating personnel need to check the warp yarn feed rate from each warp beam section at least once every eight hour shift to be certain proper tension is maintained. The feed rate of yarn from each warp beam section is adjusted at the beginning of each production run to a predetermined value. Adjusting yarn feed rates and choosing a pattern wheel gear ratio providing 12, 16 or 24 courses per revolution generally covers the range required for various knitted fabric styles. Assuming a warp knitting machine main drive shaft is rotating at 1200 revolutions per minute, there will be 1200 courses per minute. Using the l2 courses-per-revolution gears, the pattern wheel will rotate at 100 revolutions per minute. The 16 courses-per-revolution gears provide a pattern wheel rotation of 75 revolutions per minute, and the 24 courses-per-revolution gears provide 50 revolutions per minute of the pattern wheel, assuming the 1200 revolution per minute main drive shaft speed. A rack of knitted cloth is defined as the length of cloth produced when a knitting machine knits 480 courses, a course being defined as one row of loops or stitches running across the total width of the knitted fabric. The desired measurement to be made is to determine the length of yarn runner in inches required to produce one rack of knitted cloth.

At present, the mill operator customarily uses a portable runner checker instrument usually attached to a long handle, to measure the length of yarn reeling off of the warp beam section. This portable runner checker com- "ice prises a rubber tired metal wheel that drives a mechanical counter. This device provides a read-out in inches to the nearest inch for 20, 30 or 40 revolutions of the pattern wheel. A 12 course pattern wheel rotates 40 revolutions to produce one rack of 480 courses, a 16 course pattern wheel rotates 30 revolutions, and a 24 course pattern Wheel rotates 20 revolutions for one rack.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a runner checker which can be mounted on conventional knitting machines to measure the length of yarn being fed from the warp beam section to produce one rack of finished knitted fabric and provide an indication in inches of this length of yarn. The device comprises a pulse generator mounted on each tension let-off controller assembly of a warp beam section, a sub-assembly to be connected to the pattern wheel drive shaft for producing `a pulse for each pattern wheel revolution, and electronic circuitry responding to the pulses from the pulse generator and from means clamped to the pattern wheel drive shaft for responding to the pulses and indicating the yarn runner length in a rack of cloth.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE IFIGURES FIGS. 1A and 1B collectively form a block diagram of the runner checker unit of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective View of the pulse generator and the automatic tension let-off control arm of each warp beam section on which the pulse generator is mounted;

FIG. 3 is a perspective View of the basic pulse generator components;

FIG. 4 is a perspective View of the pattern wheel revolution monitor;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternate form of pulse generator and coupling to the automatic tension letoif control arm, having a variable speed unit;

FIGS. 6a, 6b and 6c are elevation views showing the variable diameter pulley for the unit of FIG. 5 in maximum diameter, normal diameter, and minimum diameter positions; and

FIG. 7 is a vertical section view through the variable diameter pulley, taken along the line 7--7 of FIG. 6c.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures, the runner checker unit is shown in block diagram form in FIGS. 1A and 1B, and includes a pulse generator indicated generally by the reference character 10 which is mounted on the tension let-off unit used on each warp beam section, one of the warp beam sections being indicated by the reference character 11 in FIG. 2. The pulse generator is mounted in the manner indicated in FIG. 2 or FIG. 5, by being clamped to the automatic tension let-off controller indicated at 12. In one practical embodiment, the pulse generator 10 is assembled in a housing 13 which, for example, is about 3 inches wide, 3.5 inches high, and 3.375 inches deep, which is secured by bolts 14 to a mounting block assembly 15 forming a split mounting block having an aperture therein properly sized to clamp about the enlarged cylindrical formation 12a of the automatic tension let-oit unit to support the pulse generator in proper position. Internally of the pulse generator is an encoder disc 16 which, for example, has 120 equally spaced slots chemically etched on a 1.0625 inch radius disc disposed so that light from the lamp 17 within the housing 13 will pass through the encoder disc and impinge on the active area of a phototransistor 18. In the embodiment Vof FIG. 2, an external drive wheel 19, which is, for example, a polyurethane rimmed drive wheel that is 3.8196 inches in diameter providing a 12.0 inch circumference, is journaled for rotation in a bearing in a wall of the pulse generator housing 13 and is coupled by a shaft 16a to the encoder disc 16 to drive the encoder disc. The drive wheel 19 bears on the springloaded tension let-oir` wheel of the tension controller, which bears on the warp yarn surface and therefore warp beam rotational surface movement is transferred directly from the warp yarn surface through the tension let-off wheel to the drive wheel 19. A wheel 19 of the particular size indicated above will cause one revolution of the encoder disc, and thus 120 pulses, for every 12 inches of yarn feeding off of the warp beam section with which the pulse generator is associated.

A special anti-jitter coupling is provided in the drive train for the encoder disc 16, as indicated schematically in FIG. 3, to eliminate false counting. It has been found that an oscillatory or rocking motion of the warp yarn beam due to vibration may cause pulse generators to produce multiple counts, which would produce an abnormally high read-out in inches. This is eliminated by providing the shaft 16a in two sections, indicated in FIG. 3 as 16a' coupled to the disc 16 and 16a coupled to the drive wheel, each journaled in bearing and block assemblies 16d. The two shaft sections are coupled together by two flat discs indicated at 16b and 16C in FIG. 3, which are spaced about 1A; inch apart. The disc 16C has a roll pin 16C inserted into the disc, while the disc 16b has a. slot 16b milled into it, approximately 1A inch long into which the roll pin 16C' extends. The motion of the rst coupling disc 16e does not transfer to the second disc 16b except when the roll pin 16C presses against one of the ends of the slot 16b. This configuration allows the disc 16b to rotate only when the pin 16C presses against the leading side wall of the slot 16b'. The effect is similar to that of a ratchet or omni-directional clutch.

As illustrated in the block diagram of FIG. 1A, one additional pulse generator unit 10A is also employed for a t'wo bar or Warp beam section machine, another pulse generator 10B of like construction is employed with a three bar machine, a fourth pulse generator 10C is employed with a four bar machine, and so on. The output leads from each of these pulse generators, connected along with power supply leads to the main electronics housing through the connector and cable assembly 20 associated with each respective pulse generator, is indicated by the lead 21 in FIG. 1 and is coupled from the emitter of the phototransistor 18 to a BAR NUMBER switch 22 of the main electronics housing. The movable arm or wiper of the BAR NUMBER switch 22 is coupled through a resistor to a counter driver CD1 which drives the four decade counters in the decimal display modules unit 24, to be later described. This decimal display modules unit 24, includes four decade counters DC1, DC2, DC3 and DC4, four binary-to-decimal decoder/ driver units DDl, DD2, DD3 and DD4, and four readout indicator tubes T1, T2, T3 and T4, such as NIXIE gas `filled numerical indicator tubes manufactured by Burroughs Corporation.

A pattern wheel revolution monitor, which is illustrated in FIG. 4, is coupled to the conventional pattern wheel on the knitting machine, and includes an aluminum disc 25, which is for example 9 inches in diameter, having a small magnet 26 secured on the rim. The disc 25 clamps to the pattern wheel drive shaft, indicated at 27, by means of a conventional hub and set screw 28. An adjustable bracket assembly 29 supports a reed switch 30 on the knitting machine. Each revolution of the pattern wheel disc magnet 26 causes the contacts of the reed switch 30 to close momentarily. Whenever the magnet 26 passes the reed switch 30 and a contact closure occurs 4l times with a pattern wheel having 12 courses, one rack will be indicated. This means revolutions at 12 courses per revolution or 480 courses. When contact 4 closure occurs 31 times with a pattern wheel having 16 courses, one rack is completed, and when contact closure occurs 21 times with a pattern wheel having 24 courses, one rack is completed.

The apparatus in general comprises a pulse generator 10 mounted on each tension let-oft controller assembly of each warp beam section, the aluminum disc 25 that clamps to the pattern wheel drive shaft of the knitting machine and has the magnet 26 thereon so that as the reed switch 30 will actuate once for each pattern wheel revolution, and an electronic housing which includes integrated circuit digital circuitry and four digit read-out devices that indicate the yarn runner length in a rack (from 000.0 to 999.9 inches). Whenever the mill operator rotates the BAR NUMBER switch 22 to the desired position and depresses the START pushbutton PBI, located on the front panel of the electronic housing, a read-out showing inches of yarn in a rack will appear in about ten to fifty seconds, depending on the drive shaft speed and pattern wheel gears used.

Describing the general operation of the system, the START pushbutton PB1 must be pressed to clear the counter display in the decimal display modules unit 24 of the previous measurement. Assuming the knitting machine is operating, the read-out indicator tubes T1 to T4 will start indicating inches of runner length in inches, the instant the magnet 26 on the disc 25 clamped to the pattern wheel drive shaft passes the reed switch 30. The readout will continue to accumulate inches of runner length until the magnet 26 mounted in the pattern wheel disc 25 passes the reed switch 21, 31 or 41 times.

A 24 course pattern wheel requires 480/24:20 revolutions of the pattern wheel or 480 revolutions of the main drive shaft to produce one rack, a 16 course pattern wheel requires 480/16:30 revolutions to produce one rack and a 12 course pattern wheel requires 480/12:40 revolutions to produce one rack. The 21, 31 or 41 switch closures correlates with 480 courses in one rack as the preset counter 31 counts 21, 31 and 41 switch closures instead of 20, 30` and 40 switch closures, since the first switch closure is used for the Zero starting point. The next 2.0, 30 or 40 complete revolutions are required in addition to the rst. The preset counter 31 inhibits further counting the instant the pattern wheel shaft rotates 20, 30i or 40 times.

Whenever the length of runner in inches (to the nearest 0.1 inch) has been logged for warp beam number 1, for example, then the BAR NUMBER switch can be rotated to the number 2 position, and after the START pushbutton switch PB1 has been depressed, the inches of runner length will start accumulating in the read-out indicator tubes T1 to T4.

When the optical type pulse generator 10 and bracket assembly 15 are installed on each automatic let-off tension control arm 12, the warp beam rotational surface movement is transferred directly from the warp yarn surface to the spring loaded tension let-olf wheel of the tension controller assembly and then to the pulse generator polyurethane rimmed drive wheel 19. Each revolution of the pulse generator drive wheel 19 produces 120 output pulses by means of the light source 17, the encoder disc 16 with slotted apertures, and the phototransistor 18. This configuration permits resolution of .1 inch since each pulse generator shaft revolution covers 12 inches of warp d yarn surface. The pulse generator drive wheel 19 rotates continuously while the knitting machine is running.

The circuitry as indicated in FIG. 1 includes a reset generator 32 having a time delay flip-flop PF4, the output from which is connected to the reset input terminals of flip-flops FFI, FP2, FF3. The output from Hip-flop EF1 is coupled to a one shot multivibrator SSI, the output of which is coupled to the SET input terminal of Hip-Hop `FP2 and to a reset driver 33. The output of reset driver 33 provides a reset signal to AND gates associated with each of the decade counters DC1, DC2, DC3 and DC4, as indicated in the drawing, to reset these counters, and to A-ND gates associated with each of the decade counters DCS and DC6 of the preset counter 31. The reed switch 30 is connected to a +28 volt DC source and to ground through a pair of resistors forming a voltage divider, the mid-point of which is connected to the A input of AND gate AG1. The B input of gate AG1 is connected to the Q output terminal of flip-nop FP2. The IAND gate AG1 is connected through ampli-tier 34 to one shot multivibrator SS2, the Q output of which is connected to the flip-op FF3 whose output is connected to a shunt switch 3S coupled between the lBAR NUMBER switch 22 and the counter driver CD1. The output of the one shot SS2 connects to the counter driver CD2 which controls the decade counter DCS in the preset counter 3-1. A reset driver 36 connects to the AND gate AG2 in the preset counter 31, the A input to which is connected through a `COURSES PlER REVOLUTION switch 37 whose stationary contacts are respectively assigned 20, 30 and 40 pulse counts from the decade counters DCS and DC6, while the B input to AND gate AG2 is connected through an amplifier from the one count output terminal of the decade counter DCS.

Whenever the 118 volts AC power switch for the electronic system is placed in the ON position, a tive volt DC supply voltage, after a few milliseconds time delay period, feeds to the input of the time delay flip-nop PF4. The Q output of lip-op PF4 goes high (to the -l-SlO volt level) and automatically resets Hip-flops PF1, PFZ, and FPS. Depressing the START pushbutton PB1 places flip-flop FP1 in the SET position and the Q output of this ilip-tlop goes high, resetting the four decade counters DCI, DC2, DC3 and D04 in the decimal display modules unit 24 and the two decade counters DCS and DC6 in the preset counter 31 to Zero. The one shot multivibrator SS1 generates a volt pulse that has a 5 millisecond duration, the pulse on the output from SS1 being diiferentiated by the resistor-capacitor network at its output to provide a five millisecond delay and then place the flip-flop FP2 in the SET position. The Q output of ip-flop yFP2 then goes high, placing the 4B input on AND gate AG1 in the high position.

No measurement will be indicated in the read-out indicator tubes T1, T2, T3 and T4 of the decimal display modules unit 24 until the instant the pattern wheel disc 25 and magnet 26 passes the reed switch '30, whereupon the A input on the AND gate AG1 will be placed in the high position. AND gate AG1 output will now go to the high position and trigger the one shot multivibrator SS2. When the Q output of the multivibrator SS2 goes high, ip-'op FF3 will go to the low output on its terminal. This opens the shunt switch 35 coupled to the input to counter driver CD1 for the counters of the decimal display modules unit 24 so that pulses feeding from the pulse generator 10 can accumulate in the decade counters DCI, DC2, DC3 and DC4 providing a read-out in inches from 000.0 to 999.9 inches on the indicator tubes T1, T2, T3 and T4. The preset counter 31 will accumulate one count each time the pattern wheel disc magnet 26 passes the reed switch 30, thus monitoring the rotation of the pattern wheel.

Assuming the preset counter 431 is set for a pattern wheel having 12 courses per revolution, then the COURSE PER REVOLUTION switch l37 will be placed in the 12 position. When the AND gate AG2 is high (has a one) on its B input and is high (has a forty) on its A input, then the output of AND gate AG2 will go high. The high output on AND gate AG2 will feed to the reset driver 36 and reset flip-flops PF1, FP2 and FF3 so that the Q outputs will go low and the output will go high. When the output of ilip-op FPS goes high, the pulse train output from the pulse generator 10i selected by the BAR NUMBER switch 22 will be shunted to ground through the shunt switch 3S, and the read-out indicator tubes T1, T2, T3 and T4 will hold in memory the read-out in inches until the START pushbutton switch PBI is depressed again.

If the BAR NUMBER switch 22 were set to apply pulses from the pulse generator 10 monitoring the tir t warp beam section to the counter driver CD1 for the first measurement of yarn runner length for a rack, the operator would then shift the BAR NUMBER switch 22 to the number 2 position and depress the START pushbutton switch PBI to commence measurement of the yarn runner length by monitoring the pulses produced by pulse generator 10A associated with the second warp beam section. In similar manner, after obtaining the measurement for the second warp beam section, the BAR NUMBER switch 22 and the START pushbutton switch PB1 would be activated to successively monitor the third, and any further warp beam sections, if any, on the knitting machine.

A variable speed reducer, pulse generator and bracket assembly are illustrated in PIG. 5, using a modified fixed diameter pulley to replace the original pulley on the automatic tension let-olf unit and coupled by a belt drive to an adjustable diameter pulley, illustrated in FIGS. 6a, 6b and 6c and FIG. 7, installed on the pulse generator drive shaft. This is to permit calibration of the runner checker in different ways. The method of obtaining runner length varies from plant to plant. Some mills use a portable indicator unit with measuring wheels that are held against the yarn beam section surface and accumulates surface inches traveled by the wheels from the start to the end of the rack, as previously described, and other mills use a method of marking an individual yarn strand at the start and end of one rack and measuring the actual distance in inches between marks. The measurements obtained by these two methods sometimes do not agree, and may ditfer by as much as one inch depending on the runner length. The variable speed unit illustrated in PIG, 5 provides the customer with a means of calibrating the runner checker to agree with the standard reference the particular textile mill may use.

As illustrated in PIG. 5, the automatic tension let-off controller, generally indicated by the reference character 12, is modied to provide an additional fixed diameter drive pulley 12b on the shaft which supports the let-off unit drive wheel. The pulse generator 10 is of the same internal construction and basic components as the pulse generator of the previously described embodiment, and is incorporated in the housing 13 carried on a mounting plate 15a which is in turn fastened to a split mounting block 1S clamped to the cylindrical enlargement 12a of the tension let-off unit. The shaft 16a driving the encoder disc 16 and projecting externally of the casing 13 has an adjustable diameter pulley 50 thereon which is coupled to the xed diameter drive pulley 12b by a at drive belt 12C. The pulley 50 may be constructed from a conventional at belt pulley by separating it into a hub section S1 xed to the shaft 16a, and an outer groove-defining section S2 which is split into two halves 52a and S2b. The halves 52a, S2b are each pivotally supported on the hub section S1 `by roll pins S3. A diameter adjusting screw S4 extends between concave cam surfaces 52a', S2b along the confronting edges of the pulley halves 52a and S2b and is threaded into the hub section S1, so that by adjusting the screw S4, the pulley diameter can be increased by rotating the screw clockwise or can be decreased by rotating the screw counterclockwise. Two locking screws SS with associated at and lock washers are provided to permit the pulley diameter to be secured after the required diameter has been adjusted. The outer flange portion, generally indicated at 56, of each pulley half 52a, S2b may be provided with a concave ygroove as shown in which a neoprene or resilient O-ring S7 is seated to resiliently urge the halves 52a, S2b to the minimum diameter position.

The variable diameter pulley arrangement provides a simple and reliable method of adjusting the pulse .generator speed of rotation with reference to the let-off drive wheel. This feature gives the textile mill a runner checker that can be calibrated to agree with either standard of reference they prefer to use. The mounting plate 15a is slotted as shown to permit adjustment of optimum flat belt tension.

What is claimed is:

1. Runner checker apparatus for use with a knitting machine having at least one warp beam section, a contact wheel rotated by engagement with the warp yarn surface of each respective warp beam section, and a pattern wheel which rotates in selected relation to courses-per-revolution factor for the machine; the apparatus comprising a pattern wheel monitor means for producing first pulses at a selected pulse rate per revolution of the pattern wheel, a pulse generator mounted on the knitting machine and continuously driven in correlated relation to rotation of said contact wheel of each respective warp beam section to produce second pulses at the rate of one pulse for each of a selected unit length increment of warp yarn fed from the associated warp beam section, counter display means including counter circuitry and digit read-out devices coupled thereto for indicating yarn runner length in inches, first circuit means for applying said second pulses to said counter display means to cause the latter to indicate yarn runner length responsive to the second pulses from said pulse generator device, preset counter means for receiving said rst pulses from said pattern wheel monitor means, and second circuit means responsive to attainment of a preselected count by said preset counter means to terminate application of said second pulses to said counter display means.

2. Runner checker apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said second circuit means comprises a shunting device conditioned by said preset counter means and cou pled to said first circuit means to permit second pulses to be applied to said counter display means from a starting count condition until said preset counter means attains said preselected count and then establishes a shunt path preventing further application of said second pulses to said counter display means.

4. Runner checker apparatus as defined in claim 2, f

wherein said preset counter means includes a courses-perrevolution switch which is manually settable to require 20, 30 and 40 pulse counts to activate said second circuit means responsive to first pulses produced at the rate of one pulse per revolution of the pattern Wheel.

5. Runner checker apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said pattern wheel monitor means includes an activator rotated with the pattern wheel and a switch activated by the activator once each revolution to produce the first pulses, and said preset counter means includes a manually adjustable switch for producing an output to activate said second circuit means when the count of said first pulses simplifies that the pattern wheel has rotated a proper number of revolutions to produce one rack of fabric.

6. Runner checker apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said pattern wheel monitor means includes an activator rotated with the pattern wheel and a switch activated by the activator once each revolution to produce the first pulses, and said preset counter means includes a manually adjustable switch for producing an output to activate said second circuit means when the count of said first pulses signifies that the pattern wheel has rotated a proper number of revolutions to produce one rack of fabric.

7. Runner checker means as defined in claim 5, wherein said activator is a rotatable member coupled to the pattern wheel for rotation therewith and having a magnet thereon, and said switch is a reed switch positioned adjacent the periphery of said rotatable member to be closed once each revolution of the latter and produce one first pulse per revolution.

8. Runner checker means as defined in claim 6i, wherein said activator is a rotatable member coupled to the pattern wheel for rotation therewith and having a magnet thereon, and said switch is a reed switch positioned adjacent the periphery of said rotatable member to be closed once each revolution of the latter and produce one first pulse per revolution.

9. Runner checker apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said pulse generator includes a light source, a photosensitive device and a rotatable disc therebetween having circumferential slots, and drive means for rotating the disc in coordinated relation to rotation of said contact wheel to produce pulses at a selected rate per unit length of warp yarn fed from the warp beam.

10. @Runner checker apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said pulse generator includes a light source, a photosensitive device and a .rotatable disc therebetween having circumferential slots, and drive means for rotating the disc in coordinated relation to rotation of said contact wheel to produce pulses at a selected rate per unit length of warp `yarn fed from the warp beam.

11. :Runner checker apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said pulse generator includes a light source, a photosensitive device and a rotatable disc therebetween having circumferential slots, and drive means for rotat ing the disc in coordinated relation to rotation of said contact wheel to produce pulses at a selected rate per unit length of warp yarn fed from the warp beam.

12. Runner checker apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said pulse generator includes a light source, a photosensitive device and a rotatable disc therebetween having circumferential slots, and drive rneajg for rotating the disc in coordinated relation to rotation of said contact wheel to produce pulses at a selected rate per unit length of warp yarn fed from the warp beam.

13. iRunner checker apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said pulse generator includes a light source, a photosensitive device and a rotatable disc therebetween having circumferential slots, and drive means for rotating the disc in coordinated relation to rotation of said contact wheel to produce pulses at a selected rate per unit length of warp yarn fed from the warp beam.

14. LRunner checker apparatus as defined in claim 1, the knitting machine having a plurality of warp beam sections and a corresponding number of said contact wheels respectively rotated by the warp yarn surface thereof, a plurality of said pulse generators each associated with a different one of said warp beam sections and driven in correlated relation to the contact wheels thereof, and said first circuit means including a ibeam selector switch having first contacts respectively connected to said pulse generators to receive the second pulses produced thereby and a movable second contact connected to the counter display means, said beam selector switch being adjustable to plural positions by movement of said second Contact to select any of the warp beam sections for which runner length is to be monitored and couple the second pulses from the pulse generator for such selected Warp beam section to the counter display unit to produce an indication of the yarn runner length being fed from the warp beam section.

1S. `Runner checker apparatus as defined in claim 2, the knitting machine having a plurality of warp beam sections and a corresponding number of said contact wheels respectively rotated by the warp yarn surface thereof, a plurality of said pulse generators each associated with a different one of said warp beam sections and driven in correlated relation to the Contact wheels thereof, and said first circuit means including a beam selector switch having first contacts respectively connected to said pulse generators to receive the second pulses produced thereby and a movable second contact connected to the counter display means, said beam selector switch being adjustable to plural positions by movement of said second contact to select any of the warp beam sections for which runner length is to be monitored and couple the second pulses from the pulse generator for such selected warp beam section to the counter display unit to produce an indication of the yarn runner length being fed from the warp beam section.

16. Runner checker apparatus as defined in claim 5, the knitting machine having a plurality of warp beam sections and a corresponding number of said contact Wheels respectively rotated by the Warp yarn surface thereof, a plurality of said pulse generators each associated with a different one of said Warp beam sections and driven in correlated relation to the contact wheels thereof, and said first circuit means including a beam selector switch having first contacts respectively connected to said pulse generators to receive the second pulses produced thereby and a movable second contact connected to the counter display means, said beam selector switch being adjustable to plural positions by movement of said second contact to select any of the warp beam sections for which runner length is to be monitored and couple the second pulses from the pulse generator for such selected warp beam section to the counter display unit to produce an indication of the yarn runner length being fed from the warp beam section.

17. Runner checker apparatus as defined in claim 9, the knitting machine having a plurality of warp beam sections and a corresponding number of said contact wheels respectively rotated by the warp yarn surface thereof, a plurality of said pulse generators each associated with a different one of said warp beam sections and driven in correlated relation to the contact wheels thereof, and said first circuit means including a beam selector switch having first contacts respectively connected to said pulse generators to receive the second pulses produced thereby and a movable second contact connected to the counter display means, said beam selector switch being adjustable to plural positions by movement of said second contact to select any of the warp beam sections for which runner length is to be monitored and couple the second pulses from the pulse generator for such selected warp beam section to the counter display unit to produce an indication of the yarn runner length being fed from the warp beam section.

18. Runner checker apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said counter display means comprises a plurality of decade counters connected in cascade to which said second pulses are applied, binary-to-decimal decoderdrivers connected to the respective decade counters, and gas filled numerical indicator tubes connected to the decader-drivers to produce numerical digit indications of the count conditions of said decade counters.

19. Runner checker apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said counter display means comprises a plurality of decade counters connected in cascade to which said second pulses are applied, binary-to-decimal decoderdrivers connected to the respective decade counters, and gas filled numerical indicator tubes connected to the decader-drivers to produce numerical digit indications of the count conditions of said decade counters.

20. Runner checker apparatus as defined in claim 5,

wherein said counter display means comprises a plurality of decade counters connected in cascade to which said second pulses are applied, binary-to-decimal decoderdrivers connected to the respective decade counters, and gas filled numerical indicator tubes connected to the decader-drivers to produce numerical digit indications of the count conditions of said decade counters.

21. Runner checker apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said counter display means comprises a plurality of decade counters connected in cascade to which said second pulses are applied, binary-to-decimal decoderdrivers connected to the respective decade counters, and gas filled numerical indicator tubes connected to the decader-drivers to produce numerical digit indications of the count conditions of said decade counters.

22. Runner checker apparatus as dened in claim '14, wherein said counter display means comprises a plurality of decade counters connected in cascade to which said second pulses are applied, binary-to-decimal decoderdrivers connected to the respective decade counters, and gas filled numerical indicator tubes connected to the decader-drivers to produce numerical digit indications of the count conditions of said decade counters.

23. Runner checker apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said drive means comprises a rotatable drive shaft including separate first and second shaft segments having adjacent ends spaced from each other and opposite ends respectively driving said rotatable disc and driven from said contact wheel, an anti-jitter coupling between said adjacent ends of the shaft segments to minimize production of false second pulses from machine vibration including first and second parallel coupling discs respectively fixed to said adjacent ends of said shaft segments, one of said coupling discs having an arcuate slot therein concentric with the disc axis and opening toward the other coupling disc and the other coupling disc having a roll pin extending therefrom into said arcuate slot to press against the leading end surface of the slot during rotation of said second shaft segment and transfer rotation to said first shaft segment.

24. Runner checker apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said drive means comprises a rotatable drive shaft including separate first and second shaft segments having adjacent ends spaced from each other and opposite ends respectively driving said rotatable disc and driven from said contact wheel, an anti-jitter coupling between said adjacent ends of the shaft segments to minimize production of false second pulses from machine vibration including first and second parallel coupling discs respectively fxed to said adjacent ends of said shaft segments, one of said coupling discs having an arcuate slot therein concentric with the disc axis and opening toward the other coupling disc and the other coupling disc havinga roll pin extending therefrom into said arcuate slot to press against the leading end surface of the slot during rotation of said second shaft segment and transfer rotation to said first shaft segment.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,674,109 4/19'54 Bassist 66-86 3,539,782 ll/l970 Upshur 6686 UX 3,564,219 2/1971 Mutziger 235-92 RONALD FELDBAUM, Primary Examiner 

